


A Sure Thing

by Genuinelies



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Maxwell Trevelyan belongs with dwarves, PWP with feelings, Porn with Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:53:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22381387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuinelies/pseuds/Genuinelies
Summary: Harding's hand slipped into his, small and strong. Max gripped it back. She gave him a smile that was somehow reassuring."We've been...doing this thing," she said cautiously. "You and me. The...chatting. The field visits.""The flirting," Max offered, also wary."Was it serious?" Harding suddenly sounded young.Oh.#The Inquisitor and Harding have a chat that leads to more at Skyhold after the disbanding of the Inquisition.
Relationships: Lace Harding/Inquisitor, Lace Harding/Male Inquisitor, Lace Harding/Male Trevelyan, Lace Harding/Maxwell Trevelyan, Lace Harding/Trevelyan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	A Sure Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so holy crap, this is the first straight sex I've written, go easy on me.
> 
> That said, this is based off of the Jaws of Hakkon DLC, where Lace Harding gives the Inquisitor an amulet (it was lifeward or healing, if I remember correctly). The conversation is adorable. She also calls him "Trevelyan" (or whoever your Inquisitor is). That might be the only time in the game our Inqy's name is used by a companion.
> 
> My OTP is Varric/Max, but I adore Lace, and apparently in my head Trevelyan belongs with dwarves, so here you go. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

"You're wearing it," Harding burst out.

Max's steps faltered; he'd been about to enter the tavern after only a brief nod.

He turned, and gave Harding a smile. His hand went to his throat, and he lifted the protective amulet she had given him until it caught the light. He let it drop.

"It seemed as though it might come in handy," he said.

Her eyebrows rose.

"Handy."

Max raised his stump and his remaining hand. 

"Handy."

Harding's lips twitched.

"You told me that..." She frowned. "Actually, you didn't tell me anything. I...just assumed. That you thought it was stupid."

“No, I questioned you about how the lizard guts you fished this out of made you think of me.”

"You were teasing," she added, sounding resigned. "Of course you were."

"I should have thanked you better for it," Max said. "I'm sorry. I’d have explained at the time, but there was…the whole cult thing. Jaws of Hakkon. Memory bubbles I had to chase all over the bloody place. Dragon god. You remember, I’m sure."

"I know you, Trevelyan," Harding said. "You don't think anyone takes you seriously. My fault. I should have known."

Max's cheeks flushed. He _felt_ the heat enter them.

"I-I-I mean, Inquisitor. Sorry! I forget, when we're not in the field, I..."

"Harding. It's all right." Max shot her a quick smile. 

She was looking over his face with obvious and embarrassing amazement. 

"Did I...are you...? You’re _blushing._ "

"Sunburn." Max's lips twitched.

Harding's twitched back. "Mmhm."

The tavern door creaked open, and two scouts walked out. Max waited for them to pass, saluting. From somewhere up above them, there was a round of strong cursing, and then laughter, from what could only be Sera’s room. Max turned back to Harding.

"Well." Max cleared his throat. "The Inquisition is disbanding. I haven't asked. What are your plans?"

"Leliana's talked to me," Harding said. "We both know that's not exactly true. That it’s…going away. Just on paper."

Max wasn’t surprised in the slightest that Harding had been approached as one of the select inner circle.

"You're staying on?" Max couldn't quite keep the pleasure from his voice, or the surprise.

"Yep,” she said. “If…you want that. You do want that, right?”

“Yes, Harding,” Max said, with an eyeroll.

“Oh, good," Harding said with a smile, "I...kind of hoped you'd like that."

Max looked around them; the residents of Skyhold had been dwindling since they’d gotten back from Halamshiral.

"Sounds like we'll be based in Kirkwall...Comte."

"Erm...yes. That's the plan. Been talking to Varric, I take it? Didn’t know the new title had gotten around."

“You can’t escape them, Trevelyan.”

Max laughed, but rubbed the back of his neck.

"Question for you, Inquisitor," Harding said. "Has anyone else used your name since you got this whole thing? ‘Trevelyan’…or even ‘Maxwell’? If…you’ll forgive me. Inquisitor."

"Rarely. Why?"

"You always look so...touched. When I call you Trevelyan."

"It's less the name and more you saying it," Max admitted. 

His mouth snapped shut.

"Sorry. That was inappropriate. I...was headed inside." Max’s heart hammered. He turned toward the door of the tavern.

_Stupid._ He took it too far. They just teased each other. He’d forgotten.

"Hey."

Harding's hand slipped into his, small and strong. Max gripped it back. She gave him a smile that was somehow reassuring. 

"We've been...doing this thing," she said cautiously. "You and me. The...chatting. The field visits."

"The flirting," Max offered, also wary.

"Was it serious?" Harding suddenly sounded young.

_Oh._

Max's heart was in his throat, pounding beneath the amulet she'd given him in Frostback Basin.

"I...yes."

She sucked in a breath. Max offered her a small, nervous smile.

“Yes, I was, Lace. On my end, at least.”

"I'm not just...safe, because...I'm me, and you're you, and I'm a sure thing, and we're always...running around too much to make it a thing."

A smile twitched on Max's lips.

"You're a sure thing?"

"Come on." Her smile was gentle and vulnerable enough that Max relented.

“It’s not because of any of that,” Max said. “Though, I’ll try to remember that I seem averse to commitment.”

She grinned at him. “Aren’t you?”

“I’m averse to breaking commitments,” Max admitted.

“Oh, Maker’s breath,” Harding said. There was a long silence between them, and Max watched the realization creep over her features. “You thought you were going to die.”

Max tapped the amulet at his neck. “I’m trying very hard not to, for the record.”

“Corypheus is gone,” Harding said. Her face was still consternated.

“Corypheus is gone,” Max agreed. “And Solas doesn’t seem to be out for me, specifically.”

“So now we can talk about this,” Harding said. “For real, I mean.”

Max squeezed her hand.

Harding squeezed it back, and smiled at him. She swung her other arm by her side, and then hit her thigh with it aimlessly.

“All right,” Max said, looking around them with a small grin, and then back at her. “We’re holding hands in Skyhold. You don’t have a mission, we seem to be planning to live in the same city for the foreseeable future, and accidents aside, there’s no immediate looming threat of death or a magic orb in my hand that’s killing me.”

“The Anchor. Was killing you,” Harding said flatly. “The _Anchor was killing you?!”_

Max winced.

Harding looked angry. It was a new expression for her.

“Did you let anyone help you with it? Did you _tell_ anyone?”

“It’s gone now,” Max said.

“All right. Noted. Bad at communication when it comes to your own problems. That’s all right. I’m good at getting people to talk.”

Max wasn’t sure the thrill that went down his spine at that should have been arousing, but it was. So help him, he liked competence. He tugged on her hand, and turned away from the tavern, back toward the keep.

She sucked in a breath. "Where are we...?"

"Lace. I'm wearing your token. I'd like you to come to my rooms so I can show you that I've been the sure thing." He paused. “Unless you want to keep flirting for another two years?”

Her cheeks tinged pink. She nudged his leg with her hip.

They hurried together across Skyhold , Max ignoring the curious stairs as they half-raced one another up the steps and into the hall toward Max's quarters.

"Have fun, kids," Varric's gravelly voice chased after them with amusement as they passed.

Max slammed the door shut behind them just as Harding grabbed the front of his shirt, tugging downward with surprising strength.

Max fell willingly to his knees on the stairs. He had only a moment to search her eyes before his hand found her hair and her hands cupped his face. She kissed him until his arm dropped to wrap around her waist, pulling her flush against him, her breasts pushing against his chest.

He was panting slightly when they pulled apart.

"Wow," Harding said, sounding dazed.

Max lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him with a squeak as he brought them hastily up the stairs.

"Trev-" 

"Max," Max corrected softly. "Please."

She kissed him again, biting his lower lip and tugging. He groaned. He'd intended to make it to the bed, but he only got as far as the wall at the top of the landing, trapping her against it. She slid down enough for her legs to wrap around his waist. She looked up at him, eyes wide and dark, red hair mussed, her breath audible between them. She held onto his neck as he thrust up against her, shuddering. 

Harding gave a quiet moan.

"I'm happy with this, Max, but only if there's a lot less clothes, big guy."

"Right," he said, and laughed helplessly. She giggled back, and he helped her to the floor. "Bed?"

"Bed." 

She darted into his room. He followed after her, skidding in his haste. She was already peeling layers of armor off and he started in on his boots and then all ten thousand of his damnable buttons.

Harding finished first, climbing onto the bed in her smallclothes and bra to prop herself against a pillow. Since she was watching him, Max slowed down with a smirk, and then made it a little silly as he peeled the rest of his clothes off. She whistled jokingly, but her gaze was appreciative.

"Lace."

"Yes?"

He stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed.

"I don't...before we do this..." A little belated, considering their mutual undress. "You should know this means something to me. So if you just want fun, we can have that, but I'd rather know now."

"Trev...Max." She sat up to look at him, her face astounded. "Well. Damn. And here I thought it was obvious."

"What is?"

"That I’ve harbored this little crush for years," she said with a little rueful chuckle.

"Oh." Max shot her a tiny smile. "Good."

"Good?"

"You've been everywhere I've needed you, looking out for me, for years, Harding. You've seen me at my worst and my best. I’m…relieved. That the attachment hasn’t been one-sided.”

"Then get up here," Harding said. She patted the bed. 

Max grinned, and climbed over the mattress until he hovered over her, leaning on his elbow. He bent down and kissed her, then shoved a tongue between her lips when she moaned.

So help him, she sucked on his tongue. Max groaned, and wished desperately for a second hand. As it was he pulled away so he could sit up and get his hand behind her to undo her bra. 

She helped him eagerly, her eyes trained on his, her creamy cheeks flushed.

“You are so pretty,” he said earnestly. “You’re beautiful.”

She blushed. Once she’d tossed her bra over the edge of the bed, she slipped out of her smallclothes and tugged on Max’s until he could kick them off.

“I think you already know what you are,” she said. “But you deserve to hear it. You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on. You’ve done things…I’ve _seen_ you do things that shouldn’t be possible. It wasn’t the Anchor. It was you. The decisions you made…you’re selfless, and brave, and kind.”

Max swallowed thickly. He saw the way her gaze softened on him when she noticed. He bent and kissed her gently, then yelped as her hand closed over his cock and began to pump.

She grinned against his mouth. He transferred his weight carefully to the other side, leaning on his shoulder so he could use his hand to gently rub her breasts and play with her nipples.

Harding arched and gasped. Max was thrusting gently into her hand, arousal making him ache. He bent and sucked at her neck, then pressed a trail of kisses over her jawline to her mouth. She reached her other hand between his legs and massaged his balls as she worked him, and a deep noise caught itself and broke in his throat.

Max pulled himself away from her regretfully. “Not…not yet,” he said breathlessly. He kissed her again, then each of her nipples, before sucking a trail down her stomach and between her legs. He pressed his lips to her and she cried out, thighs parting wider to accept him as he began to lick. She was sweet and slick, and he pushed his tongue into the slit of her clitoris. The noise she made went straight to his cock.

“Max.” Harding sounded broken. Her fingers found his hair and tugged, and he lapped at her more eagerly, then pushed a finger inside of her.

“Maker’s _bloody_ -Maker- _Max_ …”

Max stroked her from the inside, and as he felt her begin to tremble, pulled away. She cried out, squirming, her face written over with need.

“Do you want that, or more?” He asked.

“Please,” Harding said. “ _Please_ join me.”

Max moved over her, and lined himself up carefully. He thrust in with small jerks, her hips meeting his, until he was buried in her. His breath was ragged.

“All right?”

“All right,” she confirmed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders.

He began an easy rhythm, drawing nearly all the way out and then sliding back, too slowly to be satisfying, until she began to writhe and snap her hips to urge him on.

“Harder,” she said, her voice cracking.

Max began to thrust in earnest. His mind was hazy with need. She was soft and pliant and squeezed herself around him in a way that was driving him wild.

“Wait, wait,” she gasped.

Max stopped, shuddering, eyebrows drawing together.

“On your back,” she said.

Max flipped himself over, and in the next heartbeat she was on top of him, rocking down onto his hard length. He cried out, arching, his fingers clenching the bunched blankets beneath them.

Harding grinned down at him, her breasts bouncing. She bent and pinched his nipples, making him arch as pleasure shot through him. Max reached between Harding’s legs and she screamed out, her thrusts turning hard and erratic and deep as he stroked her, and she was suddenly clenching around him until he was spilling into her, bliss making his thoughts go blank.

“ _Lace._ ” He groaned long and loudly. She kept riding on him until it was too much.

Max collapsed back against the mattress, chest heaving. Harding pulled off of him and collapsed next to him, and he turned on his side, hand immediately reaching between her legs.

“More?” He asked.

“Max,” she breathed, and parted her thighs. He began stroking her slowly, speeding up as she began to jerk herself against his searching finger, until she was crying out. He repeated the motions again, and again, bringing her off relentlessly until her hand finally clenched around his wrist and pulled his hand away. 

They met each other’s eyes. Harding reached up and stroked Max’s hair from his forehead. She smiled, and Max returned it.

“That was…really, really good,” Harding said at last.

“Agreed,” Max said.

“So you aren’t dying,” she said.

“Not that I know of,” Max agreed.

She turned on her side, and tucked herself beneath his arm. She ran her hand down his other arm until it reached the rounded end. She squeezed it once.

“You’re not going to be alone,” she said. “Not anymore, Inquisitor.”

She bent up and kissed his nose.

“I’ll make sure of that, Max.”

Max nuzzled her hair, then kissed the top of her head. After a moment, he pulled the blankets up around them both.

“I never was,” he murmured, after a while. “Not while you were there, scouting ahead to meet me.”

But she was asleep, and soon Max was too.


End file.
